The French Connection (aka part 2 of the keyboard!)

okay, so assuming that you have read the first part of the computer/keyboard story, I will carry on with my never ending adventure to the correct store for exchanging the keyboard.

DISCLAIMOR: names have been changed to protect the guilty! Just sayin'!

As I arrived in the Future Shop parking lot, feeling EXTRA relieved as I knew I really was at the right store this time, there was a spring in my step with each foot placed closer to the front door.

Unfortunately there was an instant recognition as I approached the customer service counter, that the person behind it was probably not going to be the one who could help me. Sigh....her name tag said 'ms.trying to be helpful', so I continued. Hi 'ms.trying to be helpful', a lovely angel bought me a new computer from your store right before Christmas, unfortunately we did not realize right away that it had a french keyboard. I brought the receipt with me to show that indeed the product came from your store, if you would be so kind as to exchange the keyboard for an english standard one, I would greatly appreciate it. yeah...so it wasn't quite that easy. 'ms.trying to be helpful' looked at me and scrunched up her nose,"I don't think we can do that." My professionalism restricts me from sharing the thoughts that were whizzing through my mind at that point, instead I will tell you what I said. "Well, let me try this again, a lovely angel bought me a new computer from your store right before Christmas, unfortunately we did not realize right away that it had a french keyboard. I brought the receipt with me to show that indeed the product came from your store, if you would be so kind as to exchange the keyboard for an english standard one, I would greatly appreciate it.This keyboard does not work for me." Once again 'ms.trying to be helpful' scrunched up her nose,this time she put her finger on the receipt and pushed it an inch forward in my direction before saying,"Ummmmm, I don't think we can do that!"

You can imagine (after having already reading the first part of the story) that I am a little frustrated by now. I saw a lovely young woman headed toward the counter who looked like she was going to be able to help*, unfortunately a young man was also headed in my direction. Before the *LYWHTTCWLLSWGTBATH could open her mouth, the young man (who shall remain nameless) came right over and swiped his finger across the keyboard that I was trying to return and asked me what was wrong with this keyboard. I told him that it was french. He told me that it was MULTILINGUAL. I told him that I am not. He said, "Well, this country IS." GASP,choke,splutter,cough!

I said,"Did you really just say that to me?. . . . . that was very inappropriate." He replied that he is french and proceeded to flash me his name tag which showed that indeed his name was spelled in french. My eyebrows were raised so high up my forehead that my hairline was feeling a little uncomfortable about the invasion of space. My reply in an evenly toned voice was very straight forward, "I have no issue with french, my boss is french, her whole family is actually from France, I quite like them. I on the other hand, DO NOT write in french, I am asking to exchange this keyboard for a standard english keyboard, I brought my receipt and would appreciate the exchange. I never would have bought a computer with a multilingual keyboard. Thanks!"

Now *LYWHTTCWLLSWGTBATH stepped in, perfect timing I'd say. She told the young man who shall remain nameless that she would be happy to help me and he might like to go find something else to do in the back. He left. I think my eyebrows were still a little confused as to whose territory they were supposed to be residing in, but eventually they settled back down into their own zone. Whew!

*LYWHTTCWLLSWGTBATH told me that she was going to go and see about getting me that replacement keyboard. About 2 minutes later, she came back with a lovely standard keyboard that looked so familiar to me that I nearly kissed her! I thanked her and said how much I appreciated her help. I also told her that for the record I really thought that the young man who shall remain nameless had made a very inappropriate comment. She told me that she agreed and had already spoken to him in the back and assured me that he would not be saying anything like that to other customers. WOW....great customer service from *LYWHTTCWLLSWGTBATH.

I do greatly appreciate people who are willing to help to the best of their ability without serving their personal shoulder chips as an unrequested side dish.

Thank you *LYWHTTCWLLSWGTBATH! You made my day. And because of you I will return to your store.

NOTE: I have worked in the service industry for about 30 years and have been a small business owner. I recognize that the greatest thing any customer could ever do is tell me if they have had a challenge with any of my staff, services or products. I would not have refrained from returning to this store without first having contacted the management and given them the opportunity to rectify the problem. In this case, the young woman, who I believe was the section manager, was delightful and did a wonderful job of rescuing the customer who really was on the brink of losing it! Great customer service is priceless.

I know I haven't finished the missing keys story BUT!

I know I haven't finished the key story...and trust me it is worth the wait...but SERIOUSLY?! You Want This Story!

Oh MY Gosh!

I know I can't be the only one who experiences this kind of stuff in their daily life...but how come I don't read any other blog posts like this on a regular basis? Hmmmmmmmmm......

Just before Christmas, a very lovely angel type person bought a brand new computer for L'Arche Comox Valley for the Outreach Centre. That means that Rebecca got a brand new work computer. Oh it was so appreciated, the old one had served a long hard sentence and was trying to make me pay the price of longevity, not fun.

Something I didn't notice right away was that the keyboard was "French". Anyone who knows me very well knows that I am not in the slightest way French, which means that I do not need a french keyboard in order to transpose my brilliantly witty thoughts...just sayin'! I did not take it back right away, I thought maybe I could work with it. NOT! Yesterday was January the 5th, we came back to work on January the 4th, 11 days after closing for Christmas. I hot footed it over to the office to ask the bookkeeper for the receipt from the purchase of the amazing new computer in order for me to exchange it with the least amount of grief possible.

I know you are chuckling as you are in the moment realizing it is "I" who am making that statement. yeah well.... read on my dear friend and addicted reader...read on!

Feeling very confident, while clutching the receipt and the "french" keyboard, I headed to the store. Walking in, I was thinking how fantastic it was going to be to be able to respond to emails and write documents without having to backspace continually, fixing the /i or /t or what ever other letter I was trying to capitalize but instead hitting the 'now split shift key' that accommodates for french grammar in typing. There was only one person in front of me, nice...when it was my turn I put the shiny new keyboard down, put the receipt on top of it and explained what had happened to the lovely sales girl. She was smiling, but I could tell she did not really understand. When I was done, she said very graciously,"There is a problem with your receipt, it is from Future Shop." I looked at her....hmmmmmmmmmm, "what is the problem....Where am I?" ( as I look furtively around the store for any indication of a problem with my Future Shop receipt) With every bit of grace and customer service GOLD she could muster she replied, "We are in Staples."

I nearly fell on the floor, but thankfully, as I have stated before, I was blessed with an incredible DNA humour gene! I started to laugh, I looked at her and the lady in the line up behind me and said,"Can you tell there is a little bit of stress in my life at the moment? Oh my Gosh, that is so funny! This is your laugh of the day, now I need to head over to Future Shop and exchange my keyboard so I can get back to work."

I know that the lady behind me in the line up was secretly and quietly in her mind wiping her brow thinking, "Whew! glad I am not the only one who does stuff like that!"

Oh how funny is that? One of my friends nearly lost her breath laughing and actually had to run to the toilet!

Friends, I am here to serve. My firm belief is that God graced me with a terrific sense of humour that I might entertain you in those moments when you might be needing a little lift. Glad I can help!

Blessings upon you, may your day be filled with laughter, even if it is at yourself...or me!